Lord Hanuman is worshiped as the humble servant of Sri Ram who demonstrated pure, loyal devotion and profound wisdom.
Hanuman Jayanti, which is also referred to as Hanumath Jayanti, is the celebration of Lord Hanuman’s birthday.
It is a time for devotees to show gratitude for His teachings and to pray for the grace of His divine qualities.
We celebrate His birthday in the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra, on Chaitra Shukla Purnima. In 2015, Hanuman Jayanti falls on Friday, April 3rd.
Celebrate Hanuman Jayanti with us at the Devi Mandir! Shree Maa and the Devi Mandir Family will perform a special puja for Hanuman at 6:00 pm PST. All are invited to the temple, or join us on Live Webcam.
Hanuman Jayanti Celebrations in India
Hanuman Jayanti will be celebrated in the temples with great passion and joyfulness.
Hanumanji was believed to be born at sunrise, so large numbers of devotees congregate at the temples prior to sunrise.
In many temples, spiritual discourses are given from early morning until sunrise, and then special Prasad (food) is distributed. In addition, a special Hanuman Puja is performed and devotees do japa and sing the Hanuman Chalisa.
Who is Hanumanji?
Hanumanji was born of the Wind God, Vayu Deva, and Anjani Devi. He is commonly referred to as Anjaneya (son of Anjana), Maruti (son of Vayu, the Wind God) and Bajarang Bali (strong as thunder, fast as lightning).
Anjaneya was manifest with the blessings of Lord Shiva and attained Mahadeva’s divine shakti. He is believed to be an incarnation, or pure reflection, of Lord Shiva.
In the great epic The Ramayana, Anjaneya accepted the challenge to assist Lord Ram in conquering evil forces and to locate Lord Ram’s wife, Sita Maa, who was kidnapped by the demon King Ravana. 
Awaken Hanuman’s Four Divine Qualities
In thought, word and deed, Hanumanji embodies the divine qualities of a perfect devotee. His life serves as the ideal example for a spiritual seeker to follow.
In worshiping Hanumanji, the spiritual aspirant inherently gets infused with His four key divine qualities:
These divine attributes move us closer to God and will ultimately give us the opportunity to merge into God’s infinite bliss.
Hanuman’s Divine Wisdom
Lord Ram recognized and acknowledged Hanumanji’s divine wisdom. When they first met, Hanumanji introduced himself to Sri Ram as a humble servant and devotee (bhakta).
Lord Ram understood that only someone who had mastered the Vedas could say these words with such conviction and sincerity. As a result, Lord Ram accepted His seva (selfless service).
Hanuman’s Pure, Loyal Devotion
Anjaneya’s pure devotion propelled Him to tackle courageous achievements and overcome difficult obstacles.
Without a doubt, His loving devotion was the catalyst to create a life in which every breath, and every activity, was a puja (worship, offering) to His Lord, Sri Rama.
One story illustrates how Anjaneya’s devotion was so strong that He merged with Lord Ram and Sita Devi. At one time, He was challenged about the sincerity of His devotion. Accepting this challenge, He opened His chest and revealed that Lord Ram and Sita Maa were literally established inside of His heart.
Hanuman’s Attitude of A Humble Servant
Sri Hanuman demonstrated total humility while serving Lord Ram. He always remembered that His purpose in any activity was to do Lord Ram’s work.
He was never proud of His accomplishments. Even after Lord Ram recognized Him for His amazing feats, Hanumanji humbly acknowledged that everything was due to the power and glory of Sri Ram.
Hanuman’s Spirit of Selfless Service
Lord Hanuman’s unlimited devotion was the foundation for His karma yoga, which is the path of selfless service (seva).
He demonstrated that when devotion and love for God and Guru is strong, a devotee’s mind becomes sharply focused. This allows the devotee to accomplish amazing tasks, free of physical fatigue. He was able to cross an ocean, burn the city of Lanka, and locate Sita Maa.
In addition, He saved Lakshman’s life by carrying the Dronachal Mountain, with special herbs, from the Himalayas.
Hanumanji was fearless in the face of these challenges because He knew everything was the grace of Lord Ram. He was even content with facing death should it become necessary while serving His Lord.
The Sundar Kanda is a delightful depiction of Lord Hanuman’s adventurers. It’s even more enjoyable listening to Swamiji tell the stories! Watch the Video Class – Enjoy the book:
Hanuman is Eternal
In return for His unconditional love, Lord Ram granted Hanumanji the boon of everlasting life. So, wherever Lord Ram is worshiped – be it in temples, stories, or songs – His humble servant, Hanumanji, will be right next to Him.
But, the boon of everlasting life goes far beyond the temples, stories, and songs. Hanumanji lives amongst us today in the hearts of spiritual seekers.
Whenever you see demonstrations of pure, loyal devotion, or of tireless selfless service, or of the attitude of humbleness, you are witnessing Hanuman’s divine qualities manifest in the hearts of man.
Suggested Worship for Hanuman Jayanthi
Shree Maa and Swamiji recommend that on this special day we perform the Hanuman Puja and offer red flowers,bananas, ladoos, malpua (also spelled malpoa), and other sweets.
Want to learn the Hanuman Puja? Get your copy of the book and watch this informative class:
May Hanumanji grace you with pure devotion, humility, and boundless opportunities to selflessly serve!
Hanumanji Ki Jai! – “Victory to Hanumanji”
Bajarang Bali Ki Jai! – “Victory to His Thunderbolt Strength”